Whether your cat is a furry bundle of energy or more of a chilled out moggy, it’s important that they have the opportunity to show their playful side. As well as being great for their physical health – all that running, jumping and pouncing helps to prevent them from becoming a bit chunky – play is also great for their mental wellbeing.
Cat zoomies, mad-half hour, climbing up the walls – there are a number of phrases for that time of day, usually early in the morning or evening, when your cat runs frantically around the house for no apparent reason.
As well as being fun for you, training your cat to roll over will keep them mentally stimulated, and by using positive reinforcement will hopefully boost their confidence too.
In our last cat training guide we showed you how to teach your cat to sit on command. If you and your moggy have mastered this challenge, you can now move on to the next stage – teaching them to lie down on cue.
It’s often thought that cats cannot be trained to respond to commands like dogs can, but that isn’t true. With a bit of patience and a few tasty treats you can teach your clever cat to do all sorts of things, such as respond to their name and even sit or lie down when prompted.
Some cats love a cuddle and will happily let you pick them up, particularly if they have a close bond with you already. However, not all felines favour such close contact.
Our domestic cats evolved from the African wildcat, which lives in sparse, sandy terrain where they are able to bury their deposits. This is important for their survival as it enables them to cover up any trace of their whereabouts from nearby predators.
Cats love to scratch any surface they can dig their claws into, whether it’s a scratch post or your table legs. To discourage your cat from leaving their mark on your soft furnishings, you need to encourage them to scratch something more suitable instead, such as a scratch post.
You may have spent ages choosing the purrfect name for your moggy and trying them all out to see which one suits them best. But to your cat, that name you have so lovingly chosen will simply be a sound they hear you make when they’ve wandered off to explore.
While training your cat to do tricks can provide them with valuable mental stimulation and impress your friends, it’s best to start by teaching them some essential life skills before you tackle tricky stuff. Here’s some advice on how to get your cat used to the litter tray, cat flap and the dreaded cat carrier!